Brewing controversy: What beer should be served at the White House meeting?

Thursday

Jul 30, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 30, 2009 at 8:40 PM

It could be the most anticipated beer selection in U.S. history. Which brew will President Barack Obama, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley drink when they meet today at the White House?

Norman Miller/Daily News staff

It could be the most anticipated beer selection in U.S. history.

Which brew will President Barack Obama, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley drink when they meet today at the White House?

Obama drinks Budweiser, and Crowley likes Blue Moon from Coors.

Gates is a fan of Red Stripe from Jamaica and Beck's from Germany and neither are usually on hand at the White House, which typically stocks American beers.

So what beer should they enjoy while they discuss recent events that started in Cambridge and made national news?

Two weeks ago, Crowley arrested Gates at the professor's home and charged him with disorderly conduct. Gates claimed racism, while Crowley said he was following procedure. The story grew even bigger when the president said during a press conference that Cambridge Police "acted stupidly."

In an effort to tamp down the controversy, Obama called the two men and invited them to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for a beer.

But which one? The three should look to the beer world for some inspiration on how to handle their disagreements.

A few years back, the Avery Brewing Co. of Colorado and Russian River Brewing of California both brewed beers called Salvation.

Instead of arguing about the name, the breweries got together, blended the Belgian-style ales together and released it as Collaboration...Not Litigation. Seems kind of appropriate here.

Since the debate started in Cambridge, maybe Gates or Crowley should stop at the local brewpub, the Cambridge Brewing Co., and take a bottle of Tall Tale Pale Ale to share. Hops can help people relax, which would be perfect if the discussion becomes heated.

Maybe something patriotic would be in order, and what is more patriotic than Samuel Adams Boston Lager? The beer is named for one of this country's founding fathers and cousin of our second president, John Adams.

Since this meeting will be part of history, a bottle of Yuengling Lager from Pottsville, Pa., could be the perfect beer for the president, the professor and the policeman. Yuengling is the oldest brewery in the United States, and is owned by the same family that started the brewery in 1829.

Some in the public seem to think the whole situation may have been caused by an overly aggressive cop, an overly sensitive professor and a president who admitted he should have chosen his words better.

If that's the case, Vermont's Magic Hat Brewing Co.'s specialty winter stout, Feast of Fools, may be the best beer for this group.

(Norman Miller writes and blogs as The Beer Nut. He can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@cnc.com.)

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